The 8th rank is the opponent's back rank. A castled king behind three unmoved pawns cannot step off it, so a rook or queen arriving there can give mate.
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A king with no escape square depends on its pieces to guard the back rank. Remove or overload those defenders and a single rook move can end the game, which is why so many combinations finish there.
How to do it
- 1Check whether the enemy king has an escape square. If not, its back rank is a target.
- 2Count the defenders of that rank and find a way to remove one.
- 3Bring a rook or queen to a file that reaches the back rank.
For your level
A castled king behind three unmoved pawns cannot leave the back rank. Count the defenders of that rank first.
Check you have it
Question 1 of 2
Play the moves through. What has happened to the king?
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Question 2 of 2
After the last move, how many legal moves does the mated side have?
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Common mistakes
- Playing a back-rank combination without checking that the defender can take the intruder.
- Never giving your own king an escape square and losing to the same idea.
Questions
- When should I make luft?
- Luft is a pawn move that gives your king an escape square. Make it when your back rank is short of defenders and the opponent still has a rook or queen.